Improved cibcular coke-oven



F. J. F. LAUMONIER.4

Circular Coke Uven.

Patented June 18, 1867.

.DOOOOOOO Y @uiten 'tatrs utrnt @frn it a IMPROVED CIRCULAR COKE-OVEN.

tlgc dgnbnle munt tu in ilgrsve gatas glntnzt inn linking put nf tige smut'.

TO WHOM I'l MAY GONOERN':

Bc it known that I, FREDERIC JEAN FRANQOIS LAUMONIER, of Angers, in the Empire of France, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Circular Coke-Ovens; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the sume, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The oven which is the subject of this application is circular', and ldivided into any suitable orvdcsired number of radial compartments, converging towards a central chimney. Each radial compartment forms a conical oven, having but one door for charging and emptying it, which latter operation is effected by a movable engine or other suitable mechanism travelling upon a circular railway, so as to be brought successively before cach door. The bott-om of the oven slopes downward from vthe centre to the circumference in order tofacilitate the operation of drawing out the material from the ovens. The sides or the lateral partitions between the compartments contain vertical tlucs, thel mouths of which are located at the spring of the archwhich 'forms the top of each compartment. These ilncs debouch into conduitsl running parallel with the bottom of the ovens, which conduct the llame to the head of the ovens, The llame and other products-of combustion thence 4ascend through vertical llues, and finally reach the central chimney through a horizont-al conduit situated on a level with the arch of the ovens. The heat generated in the ovens is thus caused to pass around their sides, bottoms, and ends; and each` oven, besides its own heat, receives the heat of its neighbors. In the centre of the arch vof each oven a feed opening is formed, and a circuiar railway, laid upon the top of the ovens, passes over these openings. The coal is supplied to the compartments by wagons with movable bottoms, which travel on the railway. They are moved until they stand over the desired feed openings, and then, their bottoms being removed or drawn aside, the coal pours into the eourpurtments down through the feed openings. Around the space in front of the doors ot' the compartments, which contains the colte drawn from the said compartments, is another 'railway traversed by a small portable engine for emptying the ovens. It draws out the coke by mea-ns of a. chain and iron rake introduced into the oven before the charging ofthe same. l tube or pipe, which encircles the oven, conducts water from a reservoir placed about seven metres abovethe ground, and can be discharged upon the eolie, so as to extinguish the heat and llame, from any suitable number oi' nozzles placed or distributed upon the circumference ct' the circular tube at the requisite distance apart. This radial arrangement of the ovens around a central chimney prevents the excessive cooling or chilling of the mass of carbon; and, while the heat is thus rendered more steady and uniform, the oven may bcconstructed so as to be very solid and firm, and the whole management of the oven is simplified and made less laborious. l

My invention will be readily comprohended ley rctlercncc to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is-a sectional elevation of. the circula-ricrea.'

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of halt` ot" the oven.

Figure 3 is a transvcrsevertical section taken at the entrance to the compartments.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of one of the doors, together with the braces by which itis surrounded.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section at thc entrance to one of the compartments.

Figures 6 and 7 represent a rake or shovel for drawing out the coke.

Figure 8 represents a crossing and turn-table on the circular railway.

Each compartment has its own system of fines, a al and a2, Za, and b, which lues have no communication with those'of the other compartments. This arrangement admits of regulating the draught of each compartment atplelasure after the coal is filled in, and of proceeding to discharge the coke from each, after 'it has been earbonized, without interfering with the progress of the operation in the others. In the eonstructiou'of the oven I make use ot' bricks of special forms. Thus, those which constitute the sides ofthe sloping iucs al and a2, and serve to support the ling or hearth-stones e, admit et: theseilues being prolonged to about 0".25 from the bottom or lower part of the oven. The stones c are placed symmetrically two by two. They are united together, inthe direction of the length ot' the furnace, by a rebate or lapping piece, three centmetros in width, and of half the thickness of the bricks. This method Aof setting the ilag-stones together prevents any communication between the chamber of the oven and the inclined Vfines under the bot-tom. These ilues are separated from the vertical fines by bricli piers at regular intervals apart.l The conduits Z7', which, in conjunction with the vertical fines b, put the ovens in communication with the central chimney G, are likewise formed of several layers of brick of suitable dimensions and form, in order to iit upon the interior part D of the furnace, on which the whole structure rests.v

The advantages obtained by the employment of brick of the forms above mentioned arcas follows: Refractory or tire-bricks being bad conductors of heat, it therefore becomes necessary to reduce the thickness of the partitions between the ovens and their dues as much as possible without detracting fromthe'solidity and durability of the partition walls, and, consequently, of the oven.` Each brick, having the form and dimensions required in order that it shall {it in its place, is used Without being cut or clipped, and thus preserves its strength, and enables me to reduce the thickness of the inclined and vertical partition walls to 0".0S for the one, and 0.1O to .11 for the'other, at the same time preserving the strength of' thc oven unimpaired. Furthermore, there results from this reduction in the thickness. of the partitions an increase in the diameter of the fines. The gases which are evolved' by the combustion ofthe coal circulate more slowly, have more time in which to become iniiamed, and thel heat which they produce is more completely utilized; consequently, the combustion of the coal is more rapid, and the coke of better quality; the work of putting up the masonry is accomplished more rapidly and easily, and the cost of labor is considerably reduced. The charging of the ovens is effected through the top by meansof openings d, which are furnished with cast-iron plates set into recesses or grooves formed in the masonry. These plates are united together, or placed one upon the other, in such manner as to form a 'double circular crown, and are each cast with four supports or chairs, in which nre held the rails F, upon which move thc wagons containing the coal for charging Hhc ovens. The front of each oven or compartment is closed by a cast-iron door coated on the inside with refractory clay to protect it against the direct action ci' the heat. AS these doors should not be opened unless to discharge the coke, they are provided near the top with openings closed themselves by smaller doors 7i, which allow'the operator or attendant to inspect the wor-k, and to see that the operation is conducted properly. Strong open-work ribbed plates E, of cust iron, are applied on the exterior of the ovens, to the mason-work partitions between them, so as to strengthen them. These plates are united together and connected by iron bolts and nuts i; and, besides bracing the oven, they serve to receive the hinges of the large doors, which are jointed or pivoted to them by nien-ns of iron rods or pins. Near the exterior edge of the space into which the coke is discharged from the ovens is `a circular water conduit, composed of iron tubes, which communicates, by means of a branch pipe, with a reservoir of water placed six or seven metres above ground, and near the point where the steam engine ofthe grinding or crushing and coul-washingniacliines, ifthere be any, is located. Vertical ajutages B, provided with stop-cocks, are placed at equal v'distances apart; and there are also mounted on the conduit joints intended to receive copper or gutta-pcrcha tubes, having mouth-pieces or nozzles, through which the water can be discharged upon the coke, and thus check its combustion at any time, either before or after it is drawn out from the ovens. A circular railway, F, concentric with the oven, or, rather, group of ovens is located at the lowest point oi' the inclined or sloping space surrounding the oven, Upon this railway moves the apparatus L for emptying the ovens ofthe coke. Fig. 8 represents in plan a turn-table, F', and the relative position of the rails F and switches at the crossing or intersection of two* tracks belonging to two groups of ovens A and A. rlhe turn-table F serves, in this case, to transfer the apparatus L from one track to the other, so that the same apparatus may be used for two, or even more, groups of ovens. The rake or shovel for drawing out the coke Vis shown inyiigs. 6 and 7. This instrumentis placed on the bottom of the furnace, the handle or knob turned towards the door, before the oven is charged with coal. The rake serves, after the coke is formed, to withdraw the mass, in a single piece, from the oven. This is effected by attaching, by means of a forked hook, the end otra traction-chain wound on the cylinder or-drum of the apparatus L to the knob 'm of the rake, whichis then drawn out from the oven by rotating the winding-cylinder,

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf

I. A circular coke-oven, composed of any suitable number of radial compartments converging towards a central chimney, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the radial compartments of a circular cokcoven, as described, of the lues for conducting the products of combustion from the said compartments'to the central chimney under the arrangement herein shown and specified. v

3. The combination, with the radial compartments provided with openings in their top, of the circular railway passing over the said openings, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The application and use, in connection with the herein-described coke-oven, ofthe water conduit or pipe encircling the same, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

FRIO. LAUMONIER.

Witnesses:

J. ARMENGAUD, P. A. Dn CANTiLLoN. 

